© Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesU.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Resort Hotel And Convention Center on February 20, 2025 in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Newsweek has reached out to the Justice Department via an online contact form outside of regular working hours for comment.
Why It Matters
Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in a cell in New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide, but it prompted a wave of conspiracy theories due to his well-documented connections to public and powerful figures.
Estimations of the number of girls abused by Epstein vary, with accounts ranging from a few dozen to more than 100. However, the total number of victims may well be much higher than this.
Hundreds of pages of court documents which named people with ties to Epstein have been unsealed; many of these people were not accused of wrongdoing and were already public. On the campaign trail, President Donald Trump suggested he would be open to releasing the Epstein "client list." This rumored list is believed by some to implicate high-profile figures in sex crimes.
What To Know
At the Conservative Political Action Conference, Bondi was asked by conservative commentator Benny Johnson about when the list will be released.
Bondi said that she had been briefed on it and is not able to talk about it publicly but added that Trump's directive will be followed.
Shortly after this, conservatives and Trump supporters cheered Bondi's comments, and some expressed the belief that the list may be released in a matter of hours.
Now, less than a week after Bondi indicated the files would be released, Republicans are questioning why the files are not yet public. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, who recently announced that she will lead a task force focused on declassifying federal secrets, including documents related to Epstein, took to X, formerly Twitter, to question why the files are yet to be released.
So too did Representative Tim Burchett, Senator Mike Lee and Representative Mike Collins.
For years, online rumors have claimed without proof that an extended list of Epstein's "clients" exists. In January 2024, dozens of Epstein's associates were named in 900 pages of court documents which were unsealed by a New York judge, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, a member of the British royal family.
The documents were not the rumored "client list," and many of the people named were not accused of wrongdoing.
What People Are Saying
Representative Tim Burchett on X: "Where are the Epstein Files @PamBondi?"
Representative Anna Paulina Luna on X: "On Feb 11 & Feb 19, @GOPoversight sent a letter to the @TheJusticeDept asking for status on releasing the Epstein files as well as JFK etc. The DOJ has not responded. Reaching out on X because we can't seem to get a response from @AGPamBondi. @PamBondi, what is the status of the documents? Many of these documents were ordered to be declassified by @POTUS."
Senator Mike Lee on X: "This information — about Epstein, the Las Vegas shooter, the JFK assassination, etc. — belongs to the American people. It's about damn time they be given access to it!"
Representative Mike Collins on X: "Release the Epstein files. Release the Las Vegas shooter files. Release the JFK files."
Attorney General Pam Bondi, at the Conservative Political Action Conference: "Donald Trump doesn't make empty promises. I think promises made, promises kept. And that's why we're all there to carry out his directive about making America safe and prosperous."
What Happens Next
The Trump administration will likely continue to face pressure from his supporters to release the list.
One reason not to release it would be to offer a "plea deal" where an individual exposes evidence but doesn't go through the revelations of their own deeds, but still pays the consequences. In other words, the dismantling of Epstein's operation needs to be complete, all the players identified and brought down including the CIA and Mossad.